Final Major Project - Week 2

In this week I start to develop my idea further.

Here are some examples of bad cycle lanes which are prime examples of the causes of traffic accidents with cyclists.

In this picture you can see that some cycle lanes are scattered with dangerous manhole covers or drainage guards which become very slippery in the rain and bicycle wheels can fall through and get caught, which can cause some serious injuries for the rider and in some cases, fatal when on a busy road.

 In this picture you can see that objects such as lamp poles are vicariously placed on cycle lanes meaning cyclists have to leave the lane and risk hitting a pedestrian or riding up on the grass which is not suited for an average riders bikes wheels.

And here illustrated again, showing how cyclists must veer from the cycle lanes into the faster moving roads because of poor road design and a conflict of bikes, pedestrians and motor vehicles.

Here, this picture clearly illustrates the problem with car being able to park in cycle lanes meaning that bikes have to leave the cycle lane and detour into the road, which can be hazardous with much faster moving cars.

What I present to do is build a new lane for London’s cyclist.

This new lane, will be a tunnel based network, utilising unused underground and over-ground space.

These ‘unused’ underground spaces are some of London's vast retired sewage networks which were used in the late 1800s, however, now have no purpose, which intern creating a cycle lane down them will be reusing the old without having to spend millions on new networks.

Also using over-ground space, there will be over ground, open tunnels for the cyclists to ride down without interfering with walking pedestrians on the pavement on motor vehicles on the road. Also, the tunnel will shield them from rain, which is one of the main dangers to cyclists.

Here is a list of just some of the unused underground railways in London that can be repurposed for cycle lanes.

DISTRICT LINE

Aldgate East

Mark Lane

St. Mary's

South Acton - Acton Town

South Kensington

METROPOLITAN LINE

Lords

Marlborough Road

Swiss Cottage

Preston Road

Aylesbury - Verney Junction:

Aylesbury - Winslow Road

Winslow Road - Verney Junction

Quainton Road - Brill

CENTRAL LINE

British Museum

Buckhurst Hill

Epping - Ongar:

Epping - North Weald

Blake Hall - Ongar

Loughton

Wood Lane:

PICCADILLY LINE 

Aldwych - Holborn branch  Brompton Road 

Down Street   

Holloway Road   

 Hounslow West 

 Osterley Park & Spring Grove 

 Park Royal & Twyford Abbey 

 Strand (Aldwych)

 York Road 

NORTHERN LINE

Angel

City Road

Euston

King William Street

North End (aka Bull & Bush)

South Kentish Town

Stockwell

Northern City Line

Moorgate

Highbury & Islington

Drayton Park - Finsbury Park

Sub-surface

Deep Level Shelter

Clapham North: 2007

Clapham North: 2009